My car won't start

[vsiddhartha]

While this car is old and has its share of problems, I’d like to make it last at least 2 more years or so until I can afford a newer car. I’m hoping I can buy the parts and fix this myself (poor and wife is still in school ). Please help me figure out what the problem is.

Car: 1993 Mazda 626, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, manual, ~170 K miles

Problem:

This morning (temp = 24 F) my car would not start. The starter was trying to turn over, but sounded like it wasn’t getting enough juice. It would crank repeatedly, but more slowly (1-2x/sec) than normal, with each progressive crank sounding weaker and slower than the previous one. But NO start. I have had this problem for about a week now, but each time it eventually would start after 5-10 cranks. I noticed it did a little better when the weather was warmer.

Other considerations:

My battery is old. I noticed extensive corrosion on the positive battery terminal this morning. I removed the cable and brushed all corrosion off the post and cable. Re-attached, still performed as above – no start. Also, I have noticed for the last month that when the weather is rainy, the engine would start hard and run rough for ~10 minutes or so until it warmed up. I attributed this (quite possibly mistakenly) to a cracked distributor cap letting moisture in, and have been meaning to replace it. There are no warning lights, I change the oil religiously, and I replaced the plugs and points in September.

What do you think my problem is? I’m thinking old weak battery or cables need to be replaced? Maybe this will go away if I replace the distributor cap and rotor?

Thanks very much in advance for any help. If you don't have the time or desire to help me figure this out, any advice you could offer will be appreciated. Thanks again, and I look forward to reading your replies.

[way2old]

Since you stated the cables are corroded and the battery is old, that is where I would start. The cables need more than brushed off. They can be cleaned with a solution of baking soda and water. However, the corrosion could have gotten inside the cable cobering where you can not see it. If this is the case, new cables are in order. You can take the battery to parts stores and they will check it for you. However, if it is discharged, it will show as bad. Have you tried to jump start the vehicle with another car? If it starts from another car, then the battery is weak/and or cables are corroded inside. The missing for the first few minutes of driving could be indications of a tune up. It can also be caused by a temperature sensor. Good luck and let us know.

[vsiddhartha]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll try to jump it tonight, and I'm pretty sure it will start. Will also try a baking soda solution. Tomorrow I'll have the battery checked and get a new battery and cables if necessary.

I will let you know what happens!

About the running rough, it's ONLY when it's wet outside. Do you think my assumption about the a cracked distributor cap is definitely off? (I'll check the cap tomorrow when the weather warms up) When it's running rough, I can throttle it with little to no response, and it seems like (I think) not all cylinders are firing (a sensation like when you have a bad spark plug or wires). However, this problem goes away completely after the car is warm, and doesn't happen at all in dry weather. Any ideas?

[way2old]

If it is only when wet, a cracked cap could be the cause. Also, you can start it after dark, take a spray bottle and mist the cap and wires to see if you see any sparks flying. That way you can tell if it is the cap or the wires that are causing the problem. Good luck and keep us informed.

[Tech]

Hi yes if your car is turning over weak, and seems to be getting weaker as you turn it over, then it is most differently your battery... and i would change the cables as well if they look old, so as to make sure i got a good connection when all was said and done:.... when a battery sets it will build back up sometimes.. then start.. but if you are having this continual problem best change it now before you end up stuck somewhere on the road:...

[vsiddhartha]

way2old said:

Since you stated the cables are corroded and the battery is old, that is where I would start. The cables need more than brushed off. They can be cleaned with a solution of baking soda and water. However, the corrosion could have gotten inside the cable cobering where you can not see it. If this is the case, new cables are in order. You can take the battery to parts stores and they will check it for you. However, if it is discharged, it will show as bad. Have you tried to jump start the vehicle with another car? If it starts from another car, then the battery is weak/and or cables are corroded inside. The missing for the first few minutes of driving could be indications of a tune up. It can also be caused by a temperature sensor. Good luck and let us know.

Way2Old,

Thanks for the advice. On Saturday I took a closer look and cleaned everything with baking soda. The cables didn't appear to be corroded other than at the terminals. I jumped the car, went to the store and got a $40 Everstart battery at Wal-Mart. I dropped it in, and after ~7 starts, it's doing fine, so hopefully, the problem is fixed.

One question still. On the off-chance that the alternator has gone out, how many starts would I get out of the new battery before it starts to run low? After 7 starts, should I assume it's all ok?

Thanks for helping me get back on the road on the cheap!

[way2old]

Here is a copy of reply on the other site.

You will notice if the alternator is going bad. If you run the car for a while and shut it off, and it cranks slowly, suspect alternator. If the car sits for a while then starts OK, it is probably alternator related. Do as Stanl suggests and be sure the cables are clean tnd tight on both ends. If you have a voltmeter, you can do a voltage drop test on the cables and see how much difference there is from battery voltage down to the ends of cables. If it is more than .5 volt(excessive), replace cables.